1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hand held drink dispensers and more particularly relates to a canned drink cover which forms an interface between the consumer and a metal can that contains a canned drink product. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved canned soft drink cover apparatus that functions as a drinking spout for the user, as a sanitary shield, as well as having a skirt portion that can be used as a lever to aid in the opening of tab type commercially available openings found on drink cans which are aluminum and/or steel.
2. General Background
There are a number of commercially available drink products which are contained in disposable cans that are typically aluminum. These cans are generally cylindrical, having a curved cylindrical side wall, and a flat bottom with a flat top. The can top has a scored portion which surrounds a tab. The tab is manually pulled breaking the top at the score and opening the can. This score can leave sharp edges that can cut the user.
There is a need to provide an interface that can be quickly and simply added to the top of a canned drink product to form a sealed interface therewith and also to allow the user to easily dispense and consume the product therein. Further, the commercially available canned drink products that have a mechanical tab attached to the top of the can and surrounded by a score present problems to many users because the tab is relatively short and not easily opened.
There are a number of patented covers for drink cans which are known to Applicant, U.S. Pat. No. 2,459,558, entitled "Hygienic Protection Applicable To Drinking Vessels For Avoiding Contamination By The Mouth", provides a disk shaped guard formed of a sheet of paper or other material having a notch along one edge which is defined on the disk by two lappings or flaps which are folded in one direction and another fold provided in the other direction and on such a spot that it follows the same curve of the brim of the vessel to which the protector is applied.
The Stafford U.S. Pat. No. 2,693,685, entitled "Sanitary Drinking Attachment For Cans", discloses an article of manufacture which takes the form of a so-called attachment for beer cans and the like and which functions to assist one in drinking directly from the can. The article includes a hold-down tab which assists in retaining the device in position.
The Chevillon U.S. Pat. No. 3,182,393, entitled "Protective Covering", discloses a beverage can cover that can be overlayed about the rim and extending across the top and side of a can. The device is placed over the can before the hole is punched through the can and the cover simultaneously whereby one can drink from the can without touching his lips to the surfaces of the can.
The May U.S. Pat. No. 3,204,805, entitled "Sterile Drinking Container", shows a cover that fits over one end portion of a drink can and includes a tab portion of the protective covering which is removed when the opening tab of the can is lifted. For purposes of showing a commercially available metal tab or pop top tab opening, the May patent is incorporated herein by reference.
The Yeater et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,832, entitled "Removable Cover For Containers", shows a cylindrical cover having a stopper which is pivotally attached thereto. The stopper covers an opening that can be registered over the opening in the drink can.
The Hanisch et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,438,533, entitled "Protective Cover And Lip Guard For A Can", provides a shipping container for beverages, preferably a can which comprises a can including a cover and having an upper edge formation adapted as a zone useable for drinking and a covering member applied to the upper edge formation and complying with the requirements of hygiene. A removable protective layer is disposed on the top of the covering member.
The Kinoian et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,690,509, entitled "Hygienic Mouth Protectors", provides a container which has a dispensing opening, the immediate areas adjacent of which are often placed in contact with a human consumer's mouth, the container having a cover over said area of contact, the cover being hygienically bonded to the container to protect the area of contact from being contaminated, the cover having sufficient tear strength to overcome the bond so that the cover can be integrally removed by breaking the bond, for example, by manually pulling the cover away from the container.
A reusable lid for beverage cans is the subject of the Geren U.S. Pat. No. 4,703,873 which provides a detachable lid of plastic construction for the sealed closure of an opened beverage can. Forming the lid is a central body portion surrounded by a downwardly depending double step flange perimeter to accommodate beverage cans of two different diameters. A pour opening located through the body is partially defined on its underside by a downwardly depending spout adapted to penetrate inward of the can opening thereat while being defined topside by an upwardly extending free standing rim of predetermined geometric configuration. A closure cap adapted to cooperate with the pour opening is formed in the free end of an elongated flexible strap secured to the body.
The present invention solves these prior art problems and short comings in a simple straight forward fashion by providing an improved hand drink cover apparatus in the form of a plastic rounded cover having an annular seal that registers with and seals the top of the cylindrical can. The cover features a downwardly extending tab that can be used to open the can and an upwardly extending spout that can be sealed.